Expectations
by RandomQueenA
Summary: They were all expected to behave a certain way when fighting amongst themselves. What happens when things that should never have been thought are said, when expectations are broken? *Takes place after the 2007 movie.* **Warnings for Leo bashing.**


_**Expectations.**_

_**Disclaimer- I don't own tmnt. Anyways on with the story!**_

_**Author's request: Please listen to the song "Let Go" by Hollywood Undead when reading this. The story and overall mood of this piece is so much better when listening to it while reading this. TheExtemeUndead has the song if you Youtube it. Thank you and please enjoy. :) Feel free to read and review. :D **_

_**Raphael:**_

"_**I don't give a damn, okay, I just don't" I screamed, pent up frustration releasing itself at once. "I mean really, all I wanted was to have a day to relax, so evidently you just have to go out of your way to annoy me. I just wanted one day damnit and you couldn't even give me that." I don't think he realised that more things interested me than going topside. I mean sure, it was fair to say that I still loved it but I didn't want to do it every hour of every day. Sometimes, just sometimes, all I want to do is stay in, watch a movie and hang out. I'm not just a hot-head, I am capable of feelings other than anger! Oh good, now your naming my personality "hot-headed, rash, aggressive, violent…." **_

_**Okay then, how about you start naming a few of my positive traits, you know, they do exist. Hmm, let me see; passionate, loyal, protective, funny, need I continue? But no, "all you want to do is give out, criticise and fight. Yes! You! Believe it or not I don't always want to fight you, do the opposite of what you say. I just see things, with different eyes to you. Condescending, prick that's what you are! " No need to look so surprized at what I said, we all know it's the truth. **_

"_**Me! No this is not me, this is you! When will you realise I am not your enemy! Just because I'm your leader doesn't mean that I'm not still your brother" And now you're bringing up the old leader trick, like that's the real reason we fight. **_

"_**I don't give a damn about you being leader, I don't wanna be leader, I just want space. I want the freedom to go topside for a while, to run in the sewers, to not have to hear you criticising and lecturing me every god-damn minute of the day. Is that too much to ask? Well is it?" I'm almost snarling now, playing me part, fulfilling the expectations. The expectation that I have to be uncontrollable, someone who doesn't think in a fight, just reacts, as hostilely as possible.**_

"_**That's a lie Raph! I give you freedom, and I'm not always criticising and lecturing you! Maybe if you just listened for once, I wouldn't have to lecture you! But of course, it's you Raph, you'll never change" good God Leo, that's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard. And there you go again, acting like me being me is a God awful thing, that I'm incapable of change. Guess you're pissed. I bet'cha your trying to get me to attack, just so you can act like a victim of big bad Raph's temper. **_

_**Well guess what, I'm ignoring those expectations. I am not going to attack you, I am not going to take the fall for like this fight, like it's expected of me. "Don't make laugh, you wouldn't know what giving someone freedom is if it bit you in the ass, and, did you ever think that I don't listen to that spiel of yours for a reason? I could change, but I don't have to change myself to make you happy. I am your brother, not your puppet. I have a will of my own, I'm not changing that to stroke your ego."**_

_**Leonardo:**_

"_**Ego! You think I want you to change how you act to feed my ego? I want you to change 'cause you need to God-dammit. You're ruining this family, with how you act. It's bad enough that you're not here enough but when you're here, you always start fights, break things, and then storm off like it's our fault. Like it's my fault. God-dammit grow up already!" I'm expected to be calm in these fights, to keep my cool and try and placate Raph. Yeah, those expectations left as soon as this fight started. My temper is gone with you Raph, I don't give a damn anymore, and I can see you don't either. **_

"_**You know what Leo? Fuck you. How dare you say I'm ruining this family, when you're the one who nearly ruined it. Yes you, now you don't feel so high and mighty do you? You nearly ruined this family when you left, when you left and didn't come back when you were supposed to. When we didn't know if you were alive or not 'cause you didn't come home. And then you come home a year late, and act like everything's fine. Like this family wasn't put through hell. And for what? So you could become a better leader. Newsflash to you bro, a leader doesn't let his brothers think he's dead, a leader keeps his word on when he'll come back, a leader listens to his team. So excuse me if I don't listen to what my leader says." How dare he say that? How dare he imply I wasn't a good leader, that I didn't listen to my team. How fucking dare he…**_

_**Donatello:**_

"_**That's not true at all! I trained hard to become a better leader for the team. For you! I trained so hard so I could control you so the team was perfect. I trained so we wouldn't end up having these screaming fits, so we could be a cohesive team. If you would just do what I say, everything would be so much better." I know I'm supposed to remain quiet, I'm expected to silently watch on but hearing Leo, like this, it gets me. Cracks me just enough so I join the fray, the verbal argument that I'm supposed to avoid. The only thing I'm avoiding now is Mikey's eyes, I can see the indecision in his eyes, in the way his shoulders are tense. And so I avoid looking at him.**_

"_**Would you just shut up Leo! You don't have the right to try and control us. We're your brothers, were equal. You are not better than us, just because you're leader doesn't mean we have to do everything you say." I'm feeling better after my outburst, having finally beaten the oppressing expectations of what I should do. But now it's Mikey's turn, I have nothing more to say, now that I'm calmer having got everything off my chest.**_

_**Michelangelo:**_

"_**Shut up Donnie! This isn't your fight, stay out of it! And I'm not trying to control you, I just want to control the way Raph acts and reacts so there's no more fighting, is that too much to ask?" And with that I snap, I know I'm expected to stop the fight, defuse the tension, but right now I'm so mad I just want to scream, and so, I do.**_

"_**Don't tell him to shut up, this is just as much his fight as it is anyone else's. We all suffer from these fights, who are you to say who can take part or not? Oh wait, I forgot you're our 'fearless leader.' Well here's some news for you, you don't have the right to control us, we are our own people. We have our own thoughts, our own views, our own reactions. None of us give a damn if you accept them or not. You're our leader in battle, not in everything! Of course that's too much to ask. Everything Donnie and Raph said is the truth!"**_

_**For a second it's silent, and I'm relieved, happy even. "Not you to Mikey! I am not asking for too much. I just want a team that listens to me. There is nothing wrong with wanting Raph to act how the way he should be acting, I'm not the bad guy here. I'm not the one who started this fight, and I'm definitely not the one that everybody should be yelling at!" **_

_**Before I'm aware of what I'm doing, I've punched Leo. I punched him square in the face, and he's fallen, looking up at me silently, not sure how to speak. I feel a surge of power then. "No you listen here Leo, I don't like the fact that I've punched you despite you needing it. I don't like the fact that I joined this fight, but it needed to be done. Now, I'm asking you nicely, will you please think about what we said in this fight. Contemplate if what you want is right, and try and see it from our point of view. We'll be at the lair at April's when you're done." And with that we escape the sewers, leaving Leo alone to realise what's been said and done. And my last thought before I close the man-cover behind me, is simple. I want all my brothers back…..**_


End file.
